The use of a stiffening means or stylet within a flexible enteral feeding tube to stiffen the tubing so as to introduce the tubing into the correct location in a patient is known. To determine whether the tip of the feeding tube is properly positioned, the physician usually uses X-ray or other methods such as aspiration of gastric contents, called "residuals." It is conventional to remove the stylet after the tubing has been inserted into the patient. In the event that it is subsequently found that the tip of the tube has not been properly positioned, the stylet must be re-introduced into the tubing while in the patient. Such a procedure is risky since there is the possibility that the end of the stylet may protrude through the tubing and puncture soft gastrointestinal and/or respiratory tissues. Alternatively, the tube may be removed from the patient, with the stylet being re-inserted into the tubing outside the patient. Such a procedure causes discomfort in the patient and also requires more time, particularly if the procedure has to be repeated before the tube is lodged in the proper position.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,388,076 to Waters discloses a stylet design which features a reinforcement wire that is deformed at its attachment end to allow it to be secured in the stylet aperture or hub. This design has the disadvantage of requiring the attachment end of the reinforcement wire to be deformed in a separate operation before its assembly with the stylet hub.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,826,485 to Johnson discloses an invention intended to improve upon the invention of Waters. Its design allows the reinforcement wire to be located outside the stylet aperture. This is accomplished in the design of the Johnson patent by attaching the reinforcement wire in a separate aperture at a position offset from the hub's main aperture. However, this design is quite complex as it also requires that the attachment end of the reinforcement wire be deformed or shaped in order to be held in its separate aperture. Also, the stylet hub is itself of a complex design which requires two bores to accommodate the attachment end of the reinforcement wire and to form the main aperture.
It is therefore one aspect of the present invention to provide a stylet that allows the convenient aspiration of the gut without obstruction by the reinforcement wire.
It is also an aspect of the invention to provide a stylet design that is simpler to produce and that can be made of standard materials by convenient and cost effective procedures.
In light of the present disclosure and the practice of the present invention, other advantages and solutions to other problems will become apparent to one of ordinary skill in the relevant art.